SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 16 Oct. (EUROPE PRESS) –
The Cabildo de Tenerife, through the Natural Environment and Safety Area, will carry out before the end of the year a sanitation and cleaning project for the palm groves of the Interián Site of Scientific Interest, in the municipality of Los Silos.
These palm groves have been guarded by the Cabildo, manager of the Natural Spaces and guarantor of their correct state of conservation. It is expected that approximately 15,000 euros will be invested in these works and will be carried out over a period of approximately two months.
Several studies have been promoted in collaboration with the Government of the Canary Islands and the different universities in which the phytosanitary status of the palm trees has been monitored with the possible affectation of pests and diseases and the analysis of possible situations of hydric stress due to lack of rainfall.
“These studies show that due to the proximity to the most populated places, the palm tree specimens have suffered more intensely due to changes in the soil, nearby crops, phytosanitary products used on agronomic species that affect the environment and pests and diseases frequently associated with vegetables and fruit trees, has been an important negative factor in the survival and health of palm trees,” said the Minister of Natural Environment Management, Isabel García
“That is why we must insist on the removal and crushing of the remains of dead leaves, fallen to the ground as part of the natural process to improve the palm grove, including in this project an enrichment with specimens that serve to replace dead specimens,” said the councilor , who indicated that it is also planned to include “a dragon tree in the bed of the ravine under the Mirador de la Cruz, which will significantly improve the landscape to the west.”
These works will include the opening of accesses to the work areas up to the palm tree specimens, as well as intervention for the extraction, bagging and removal or elimination of invasive exotic flora in the surroundings of the palm trees and the collection and stacking of scattered palm tree remains. on the floor.
On the other hand, palm leaves will be crushed in situ with a manual brushcutter at distances greater than 50 m from the road and the remains will be distributed as padding for the land.
The Site of Scientific Interest of Interián is a cliff of great landscape value. It houses an interesting community of thermophilic forest, with magnificent populations of seedlings, blood sticks, barbuzanos, palm trees and dragon trees. Among the flora, many protected species stand out, such as chahorra (Sideretiskuegleriana) and cabezón (Cheirolophus webbianus).
On the other hand, the entire cliff represents a scenic flank for the low island, of great aesthetic value, which continues to the east through the rest of the protected landscape of the cliffs of La Caleta, and to the west, through the cliffs of Teno. .
Interián was declared a site of scientific interest and an area of ecological sensitivity by Autonomous Community Law 12/94, later merged with the Canary Islands Territory Planning Law through Legislative Decree 1/2000.